Islamic Ethical Values Driving Sustainable Entrepreneurial Behavior in Small and Medium Enterprises
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55980/esber.v4i2.377Keywords:
Islamic Ethical Values, Sustainable Entrepreneurship , Business Ethics , corporate social responsibilityAbstract
This study investigates the role of Islamic ethical values in driving sustainable entrepreneurial behavior in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Using a Systematic Literature Review approach, the research synthesizes interdisciplinary findings on Islamic business ethics, sustainability, and SME practices to identify conceptual patterns linking faith-based values with responsible entrepreneurship. The review reveals that principles such as justice, trustworthiness, social welfare, and environmental stewardship shape entrepreneurial decision-making beyond short-term profit orientation. These values encourage SMEs to adopt socially responsible practices, strengthen community engagement, and integrate environmentally conscious operations into their business models. The findings also indicate that Islamic ethical frameworks contribute to organizational resilience and long-term orientation by aligning moral commitments with strategic business sustainability. Theoretically, the study advances the ethics-based entrepreneurship literature by integrating faith-based moral reasoning into sustainability discourse and extending conventional models of ethical entrepreneurship to include spiritual and socio-cultural dimensions. Practically, the results highlight the importance of ethical leadership, institutional support, and value-driven governance structures in enabling SMEs to implement sustainable practices effectively. Overall, the study demonstrates that Islamic ethical values provide a coherent normative and practical foundation for fostering balanced economic performance, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability within SME contexts.
References
Aassouli, D., Ebrahim, M., & Basiruddin, R. (2018). Can UGITs Promote Liquidity Management and Sustainable Development? Isra International Journal of Islamic Finance, 10(2), 126–142. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijif-12-2017-0055
Abdelzaher, D., Kotb, A., & Helfaya, A. (2017). Eco-Islam: Beyond the Principles of Why and What, and Into the Principles of How. Journal of Business Ethics, 155(3), 623–643. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3518-2
Agustin, F., Muhtadi, R., & Sahal, S. (2023). The Importance of Implementing Environment, Social and Government (ESG) and Maqasid Sharia-Based Islamic Finance in Islamic Bank. Journal of Islamic Economic Laws, 133–158. https://doi.org/10.23917/jisel.v6i2.21214
Alam, M. K., Rahman, S. A., Mustafa, H., Shah, S. M., & Hossain, M. S. (2019). Shariah Governance Framework of Islamic Banks in Bangladesh: Practices, Problems and Recommendations. Asian Economic and Financial Review, 9(1), 118–132. https://doi.org/10.18488/journal.aefr.2019.91.118.132
Alhammadi, S. (2022). Analyzing the Role of Islamic Finance in Kuwait Regarding Sustainable Economic Development in COVID-19 Era. Sustainability, 14(2), 701. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020701
Ali, A. H., & Abu‐Saad, I. (2024). Quality of Work Life, Cultural Values, and Islamic Work Ethics: The Case of the Arab Education System in Israel. International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 24(2), 385–410. https://doi.org/10.1177/14705958241256729
Ali, I. (2025). Islamic Practices and Investment Decision: The Role of Money Management Skills and Digital Financial Literacy. Sage Open, 15(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251379142
Ali, N. M., Alias, F., Shah, H. A. R., Awang, M. N., & Abu-Mounes, R. (2024). The Conceptual Nexus Between Islamic Foresight, Islamic Thought and the Shariah. Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law, 12(1), 62–76. https://doi.org/10.33102/mjsl.vol12no1.524
Alias, B. S., Yusof, R., Rasli, A., Ismail, M. J., Nordin, M., Ishak, M. R., Prestianawati, S. A., Abas, I. H., & Jamaludin, K. A. (2023). Factors That Contribute to Integrity of Academicians in Malaysian Public University: A Case Study. Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.24294/jipd.v7i3.2643
Alqahtani, F., & Mayes, D. G. (2017). The Global Financial Crisis and Islamic Banking: The Direct Exposure to the Crisis. Banks and Bank Systems, 12(3), 100–112. https://doi.org/10.21511/bbs.12(3).2017.08
Alshehri, F. A., Fotaki, M., & Kauser, S. (2020). The Effects of Spirituality and Religiosity on the Ethical Judgment in Organizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 174(3), 567–593. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-020-04614-1
Alshehri, F. A., Kauser, S., & Fotaki, M. (2017). Muslims’ View of God as a Predictor of Ethical Behaviour in Organisations: Scale Development and Validation. Journal of Business Ethics, 158(4), 1009–1027. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-017-3719-8
Althaqeb, S. (2025). The Past, Present, and Future of Shariah-Compliant Equities. Ijifsd, 17(3). https://doi.org/10.55188/ijifsd.v17i3.1109
Alziyadat, N., & Ahmed, H. (2018). Ethical Decision‐making in Islamic Financial Institutions in Light of Maqasid Al‐Sharia: A Conceptual Framework. Thunderbird International Business Review, 61(5), 707–718. https://doi.org/10.1002/tie.22025
Arifardhani, Y., Ahmat, N. H. C., & Mukri, M. (2025). The Role of Law in AI-Based Business Ecosystems: A Contextualized Perspective From Islamic Law. Jurnal Ilmiah Mizani Wacana Hukum Ekonomi Dan Keagamaan, 12(1), 284. https://doi.org/10.29300/mzn.v12i1.6961
Asha’ari, M. J., Daud, S., & Suki, N. M. (2023). Linking Sustainable Design and Social Sustainability Performance of Chemical Manufacturing Firms: Moderating Role of Islamic Work Ethics. Sustainability, 15(7), 5991. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15075991
Astuti, H. D., Sholihah, C., Sahid, M. M., Ahmad, A. U. F., Sopyan, Y., & Husaeni, U. A. (2022). Principle 5 C in the Practice of Peer to Peer Lending (P2P) Financial Technology in the Perspective of Business Ethics and Islamic Justice. Jurnal Ius Kajian Hukum Dan Keadilan, 10(2), 316–326. https://doi.org/10.29303/ius.v10i2.1019
Asutay, M., Buana, G. K., & Avdukić, A. (2021). The Impact of Islamic Spirituality on Job Satisfaction and Organisational Commitment: Exploring Mediation and Moderation Impact. Journal of Business Ethics, 181(4), 913–932. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-021-04940-y
Aziz, H. A., Ghadas, Z. A. A., & Ossofo, A. B. (2023). Corporate Social Responsibility Under the Maqasid Syariah Concept in Malaysia: Why Does It Matter? Jurnal Media Hukum, 30(1), 53–65. https://doi.org/10.18196/jmh.v30i1.16916
Bouakkaz, N., & Ferdjallah, A. (2023). The Performance and Perspective of the Ethical Leadership of the Islamic Equity-Based Crowdfunding Platform in Oman. Business Ethics and Leadership, 7(3), 120–129. https://doi.org/10.61093/bel.7(3).120-129.2023
Budiman, T., Febrian, E., & Azis, Y. (2022). The Effect of Geographical Factors on Islamic Banking Sustainability Performance: An Instrumental Variable Quantile Regression Analysis. Asian Economic and Financial Review, 12(2), 70–88. https://doi.org/10.18488/5002.v12i2.4411
Burak-Adlı, F. (2024). The Portrait of an Alla Franca Shaykh: Sufism, Modernity, and Class in Turkey. International Journal Middle East Studies, 56(2), 207–226. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020743824000631
Dharma, Y., Puteh, A., Widodo, R., Alfaqih, L., & Yahya, A. (2024). The Influence of Financial Literacy and Islamic Business Ethics on Investment in Islamic Financial Instruments: The Mediating Role of Risk Attitude and the Moderating Role of Religious Knowledge. Journal of Ecohumanism, 3(8), 264–282. https://doi.org/10.62754/joe.v3i8.4729
Erniwati, E. (2025). Customary Sanctions for Strengthening Moral Order and Social Harmony in South Sumatra Communities. De Jure Jurnal Hukum Dan Syar Iah, 17(2), 417–437. https://doi.org/10.18860/j-fsh.v17i2.32262
Faridah, F., Lubis, A. R., Diantimala, Y., & Ridwan, R. (2023). Optimizing the Utilization of Government-Owned Tangible Assets Through Managing Institutional Factors in Indonesia. Public and Municipal Finance, 12(2), 55–66. https://doi.org/10.21511/pmf.12(2).2023.05
Fernando, Z. J., & Imanuddin, M. (2025). Green Financial Crime in the Perspective of Islamic Law. Khazanah Hukum, 7(2), 206–222. https://doi.org/10.15575/kh.v7i2.39211
Gorian, E., & Osman, N. D. (2024). Digital Ethics of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) in Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates. Malaysian Journal of Syariah and Law, 12(3), 583–597. https://doi.org/10.33102/mjsl.vol12no3.798
Hamdi, F., Ladraa, K., Jammour, M. B., & Ilhami, H. (2025). Integrating Maqashid Al-Sharia, Fiqh Al-Bi’ah, and Islamic Ethics for Sustainable Water Management. Al-Ahkam Jurnal Ilmu Syari’ah Dan Hukum, 10(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.22515/alahkam.v10i1.11277
Hamid, N., Savitri, F. M., Perwita, A. D., ab, W., & Purandina, I. P. Y. (2021). The New Social Construction of Entrepreneurship: From Professional Workers to Moslempreneurs. Webology, 18(Special Issue 03), 282–298. https://doi.org/10.14704/web/v18si03/web18041
Hanif, M. F., & Haron, R. (2022). Corporate Governance and Corporate Social Responsibility in Islamic Banks: A Systematic Literature Review. Iium Law Journal, 30(S2), 57–92. https://doi.org/10.31436/iiumlj.v30is2.764
Holzberg, B. (2023). Local Understandings of Decent Work and the Legitimacy of Global Labour Standards: Insights From Garment Suppliers in Egypt and Jordan. Journal of Business Ethics, 192(4), 689–712. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05490-1
Islam, A., Zawawi, N. F. M., & Wahab, S. A. (2021). Rethinking Survival, Renewal, and Growth Strategies of SMEs in Bangladesh: The Role of Spiritual Leadership in Crisis Situation. Psu Research Review, 8(1), 19–40. https://doi.org/10.1108/prr-02-2021-0010
Jati, K. W., Agustina, L., Muliasari, I., & Armeliza, D. (2020). Islamic Social Reporting Disclosure as a Form of Social Responsibility of Islamic Banks in Indonesia. Banks and Bank Systems, 15(2), 47–55. https://doi.org/10.21511/bbs.15(2).2020.05
Kususiyanah, A., Huda, M. C., Sriwidodo, J., & Baharuddin, A. S. (2024). Trends and Landscape of Omnibus Law Research: A Bibliometric Analysis. Volksgeist Jurnal Ilmu Hukum Dan Konstitusi, 219–243. https://doi.org/10.24090/volksgeist.v7i2.9633
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Ananda Rauf NurHidayah Isnaini

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.












